Kam Fails to Postpone Jailing, Enters Prison Wednesday

As a soldier, Kam stole classified documents from IDF computer and gave them to a journalist. She will serve 4.5 years.

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Gil Ronen, 17/11/11 17:31

Anat Kam

Israel news photo: Flash 90

Anat Kam, who was convicted of high espionage and handing over of classified information, failed Thursday to convince the High Court to delay the beginning of her prison sentence.

She will begin serving the sentence – 4.5 years in jail – on Wednesday, after Judge Miriam Naor agreed to postpone her entrance to prison from Sunday. The decision was made at Kam's request and in agreement with the State.

Kam's lawyer, Ilan Bombach, had asked the court to wait with Kam's incarceration until her appeal on the sentence is heard in the Supreme Court.

However, Prosecution representative Attorney Rachel Matar asked the court not to heed Kam's request, noting that Kam's "carelessness and 'stupidity' as she termed it caused a risk to Israel that is difficult to imagine."

Matar added that the District Court had already shown consideration for her when it sentenced her to 4.5 years in jail, for an offense that is punishable by 15 years.

The judge explained that there is virtually no chance that the Supreme Court will decide to release Kam without any jail time. Therefore there is no reason to wait with the implementation of the sentence.